Modern electronic devices have been used in the field of monitoring children to allow parents, guardians and caretakers more freedom while still maintaining close supervision of a child. For example, radio monitors are commonly used to listen to a child who is sleeping or playing in another room.
With a child monitor, a transmitter with a sensitive microphone is placed in the room where the child is sleeping or playing. A receiver with a speaker is then located in another room where a parent may be working or relaxing. The transmission from the microphone of the transmitter unit is played over the speaker of the receiver so that the parent can hear if the child wakes up or becomes distressed. In this way, the child can be closely supervised while giving the parent the freedom to move to other rooms of the home and complete other activities without disturbing the child.
However, such monitors are usually powered with the current from a wall outlet and are only used in the home. Consequently, such child monitors are not used to monitor a child while the parent is, for example, shopping or in some other public place.
A great fear for the parents, guardians and caretakers of children is that a child may be lost or even abducted, particularly in a crowded, public place while the parent is distracted or when the child wanders from the parent. Conventional child monitors are not designed to guard against such circumstances.
When a child is lost, it is necessary to identify the location of the child. If a child is abducted, the first few seconds are critical. The more quickly the child and the abductor are located, the less likelihood exists that the child will be harmed or that the abductor will succeed in getting away.
Consequently, there is a need in the art for a child monitoring system that allows a parent to monitor the proximity and location of a child. There is a further need for such a child monitoring system to be portable and, therefore, of use outside the home.